When the First Love Ends
by CrystallizeFlower
Summary: Gabriel Agreste, a renowned fashion designer in the city of Love, decides to move to Tibet in an unknown series of events. Adrien can't stay, meaning a new Chat Noir is needed. Ladybug is concerned about doing her night job with someone new that she doesn't know, and Marinette doesn't know that her beloved Adrien will be leaving as well, in the dark about his true identity.
1. Chapter 1

**A new miraculous story~ Here's the full summary:**

_ Based on the song "When the First Love Ends" by ryo/supercell ft. Hatsune Miku, specifically the Rachie version in English._

_ Takes place after the events of Ikari Gozen chronologically (includes Kwamibuster, Feast) - do not read if you do not want spoilers._

_ Gabriel Agreste, a renowned fashion designer in the city of Love, decides to move to Tibet in an unknown series of events. Adrien has already tried to convince him to stay but to no avail, meaning that a new Chat Noir is needed in his leave. Ladybug is concerned about doing her night job with someone new that she doesn't know, and Marinette doesn't know that her beloved Adrien will be leaving as well, in the dark about his true identity._

**Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

»»— ❅ —««

_My first kiss happened while I cried, knowing no matter how hard I tried...  
It was just like we were part of a TV show  
The moment I forgot you had to go was exactly when the whistle chose to blow.  
_

»»— ❅ —««

A month had passed since the Feast incident. With Fu's identity compromised, Marinette was now the guardian of the miraculous in his stead, entrusted with the miracle box and all of its wonders and dangers.

It had been difficult to hide the box in her room - not so much from family but from friends. They had always gone through her room to find materials or other paraphernalia but that meant they had a chance of stumbling across her biggest secrets. Out of frustration, she made a custom skin to disguise the box as a jewelry pack and put it in a trapped chest, similar to the one she had made for her diary. She hoped hiding it in the open would be the most effective but put the chest inside a locked drawer for extra safety.

Luckily, no one had been able to open the drawer and no one questioned what was in it. It made fighting alongside other superheroes much easier when she had the box with her and her Lucky Charm would even change to something related to the bakery. However, there was one incident where it transformed into a small figurine of Adrien and she wondered if the power had a mind of its own. It could have been Tikki messing with her, as well.

She thought her worrying was over, able to spend the rest of her time to relax a little bit and enjoy the Paris nighttime, but it had yet to creep back in.

"Hey, kitty," she giggled as she swung up to the black bachelor. "Anything out of the ordinary tonight?"

The cat turned around, his messy blonde hair swaying slightly in the breeze, shaking his head. "If anything, the sky is extraordinary." He cracked a smile. "Look at the stars. Aren't they beautiful?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "They are."

"But the prettiest one is the one standing next to me."

She rolled her eyes but couldn't cover up her laugh. "Okay, Chat Noir, you flirt. That's enough."

"But my lady, how else am I supposed to woo you?" He waggled his eyebrows and she flicked his forehead playfully in response. He rubbed it in feigned hurt and frowned, whining, "My lady, how could you? Oh, the pain! But this is no matter. Because what hurts more… is you not loving me."

Ladybug smirked. "Are you like this in your personal life?"

"No. Only around you, bugaboo."

"Wow. How lucky of me," she deadpanned.

Then Chat's playful demeanor fell apart and he slouched. The girl noticed and was about to ask if anything was wrong when he said, "Ladybug, I need to tell you something."

"If it's professing your love to me, I've heard that plenty of ti–"

"It's not. My lady, I… I have to leave."

She raised an eyebrow. "Leave? What do you mean?"

"I'm… moving. Out of Paris."

"You're… you're moving?!"

He nodded. "I tried to convince my dad to stay in Paris or at least let me stay but he refused. He's insistent on going and I can't do anything more. I would ask you for help but that would expose us."

"I… I'll talk with him!" she cried. "I'll persuade him to let you stay!"

"No, my lady. Then you'd know who he is and who I am. And that's been the one thing you've avoided since the very beginning. Not to mention it'd also tell him that I have some connection to you and he'd be suspicious."

Ladybug bit her lip. "I… you're right. As much as I want to break the rules, you're right." She looked up at him. "Is there really nothing else you can do?"

He shook his head softly. "Nothing. I don't know if I'll ever move back to Paris either."

She choked on her words, a small tear leaving her eyes. "I… I don't want you to leave, Chat. You're my partner. And you've been my only partner." Why was she crying? Did she really care that much? "I guess… I didn't realize how much I appreciated you."

He smiled bittersweetly. "I don't want to leave you either, Ladybug."

"How am I going to find another Chat Noir? Plus, I can't find out their identity so I probably have to ask Master Fu to do it for me and–"

"My lady." Chat stopped her from rambling on and held her hand. "I know you'll do well. You'll find the right thing to do. You always do."

"You put too much faith in me, kitty."

"It's what I do."

Ladybug sighed and wiped her face. She sat down and looked over the Parisian landscape. "... How about this? We can hang out for a while before you have to go and I take the miraculous. When do you leave?"

She could see the hesitation in his eyes before he answered. "Uh, I don't know. I just know it'll be after this week."

"How about for the whole week?"

He lit up and sat down next to her, his excitement like a small kitten with a ball of yarn. "Are you serious?" She laughed and nodded at him. "Of course."

And with that, the two split up, leaving the stars to the night sky.

»»— ❅ —««

Marinette was too proud to admit that she cried all night. She didn't even have an idea as to why she bawled her eyes out for hours but the end result was that she was tired, only a semblance of what she normally was.

Luckily, it was a Sunday, meaning she had the whole day to herself and no school to worry about. Using the hints that Fu had left behind for her, she tracked his location and found his new place in the United Kingdom, careful not to expose herself as a French girl who had crossed borders illegally with magical superpowers.

She entered the apartment, walking up the stairs to a door marked with a black and red spot on the bottom corner. With her knuckles, she knocked twice in a very particular fashion.

The door swung open cautiously, an old man with a fedora on his head peeking out. "Who's there– Marinette!"

Fu opened the door all the way and she smiled at him. He stood to the side to allow her to enter and they moved to his living room, sitting at the table on the floor. Marinette spoke first and explained her situation to the elder.

"Master Fu, we need to find a new Chat Noir."

"What?"

"Chat Noir's family is moving and he's already tried to convince his dad to stay. They're moving sometime after this week and so we need to get someone else but you have to do it as I'm not supposed to know their identity."

Fu turned and looked to the side as he considered the circumstances laid out in front of them. "Marinette, what will happen if Hawkmoth releases another akuma and we haven't found someone else to replace him?"

The dark-haired girl shook her head and put her hands in between her thighs. "I don't know, but I will use the help of the other miraculous items if I need to. Is it possible to use the horse miraculous and teleport Chat if I need him after the week is up?"

"That's too much of a danger. You'd also know the area where he lives and that is already a hazardous fact to know."

"I don't know, Master. I genuinely don't know what to do in this situation."

The old man looked at her in pitied compassion and he stood up. "Well, I believe we can work around this. From what I've seen, akumas have been released very infrequently, as if Hawkmoth is slowing down."

Marinette stumbled out a small yelp: "But that could also mean Hawkmoth is planning something bigger! I just don't want to take the chance…"

He walked over to the teenager's side and rested his hand on her shoulder. "You two worked very well together and it is going to be difficult to find someone who will match his level of flexibility. I know you liked him very much," he paused, glancing at Tikki, "but you need this break. Don't worry too much or else you'll get akumatized yourself. As much as I don't want to, I'll take his miraculous and find a new Black Cat user with the help of the other Guardians. I haven't seen them in a while."

She nodded gently, resigning her neurotic brain to the elder's consolation. "Yeah. Okay. I can do that. I'm sorry, Master, I'm just really tired."

"Let me guess - you cried a lot last night?"

"H-how did you know?"

"A lot of experience of my own, Marinette. When you've been alive for 186 years and hold a regret for 172, you gain a very deep understanding of loss."

The young girl lightly giggled to herself, nodding. "Okay. I'll come back in one week, Master."

He nodded. "I will wait until then. Tell Wayzz I miss his company."

"I will."


	2. Chapter 2

»»— ❅ —««

_Why couldn't I go up and tell you  
__Everything I felt? I hid them deep down inside  
__I've made my choice - there's no turning back  
__As the screen turns black, you're not getting closer  
__I just can't believe it's over_

»»— ❅ —««

The dark-haired girl returned to France, reverting to her civilian form in a small alleyway. She walked out and went to the bakery, immediately cloistering herself in her room, hugging her pillow. Tikki flew out from her bag and worriedly called her owner's name. "Marinette? Are you okay?"

She flipped her head over. "It still hasn't really hit me. That he's leaving. What am I going to do, Tikki?"

The kwami touched the teenager's face, assuring her that she would be okay. "Part of being a superhero is understanding how to handle loss, like Master Fu. But no one can truly master that. The way the Master acted when Feast appeared is an example of that. All you can do is try, like you and Chat have been doing for all this time."

"But something like this has never happened before to me! I wasn't a superhero until recently. I've never had someone I can trust with my life like Chat. What if the new person isn't compatible with me?"

"Marinette, we've already had this talk! You'll be okay. Just trust me and the Master."

The girl looked up at the kwami lovingly, knotting her brow together as she tried not to let it all out. "Tikki, I don't know how I got so lucky having you as a friend."

"You're _the_ Ladybug," Tikki giggled. "It was all your own luck, Miss Fortune."

"... Thanks, Tikki."

She closed her eyes, taking a nap before she had to go on patrol with Chat Noir.

»»— ❅ —««

"Hey, Chat." Ladybug sat down next to the cat who looked over the same landscape as the other night. "What do you wanna do today?"

The male looked over at her and smiled, eyes shying away. "I don't know, honestly. I've never had to do this before."

"That's what I said to myself earlier, actually," Ladybug admitted. "I had a talk with my kwami about this whole thing."

Chat's ears perked up. "Did you talk to Master Fu?"

"Yeah."

"What'd he say?"

"He said that once the week was over, I'd take your miraculous and return it to him. We don't have to worry about anything being akumatized while you're gone, apparently. He just wants us to relax and take a break before our time is up."

The blond-haired boy leaned in closer to her. "Relax? I'd love to but I don't know. It seems a little hard right now."

The spotted hero put her hand on his shoulder. "Same here, but we might as well use our time wisely. Come on, follow me." She stood up and flung her yo-yo at a nearby tower, swinging off into the air. Chat chuckled and tailed her, launching himself with his baton.

The two flew across the night sky, the moonlight shining off their backs, leaving silhouettes of their figures on the concrete roads. Ladybug threw her yo-yo at a bridge over the Seine River, landing gracefully on the rails. Chat Noir followed her example, using all fours to perch on a lamppost.

"Ah, Ladybug, Chat Noir! How wonderful it is to see you two," a man below Chat said.

They looked down and saw André, the ice cream vendor, smiling at them. Ladybug waved at him and leaped off the rails, taking a seat on a nearby bench. "Hello, André. Have any ice cream for us today?"

The large man laughed and reached into his cart. "Of course, I do! Here, for the lady, peach pink like his lips and mint green for his eyes! For the cat, strawberry with black chocolate chip, blackberries for her hair, blueberry ice cream just like her sky blue stare!" As he held out the cones, he glanced back and forth between the two and exclaimed, "My word! You two wouldn't happen… to be in love with each other, would you?"

"W-what?" Ladybug took the ice cream and looked at Chat. "No, we're just friends."

Chat, despite his slightly damaged feelings, took his cone and smiled. "I'd like to believe, though."

André lit up and held his hands together. "That's the spirit! And no matter what you say Ladybug, I can see it! I can see that you are truly in love with someone and my own heart tells me it is Chat Noir."

"No!" She covered her mouth. "I- I mean, no, I'm in love with someone else. No offense, Chat."

"None taken," the mentioned shrugged. "I've already heard this once before."

The ice cream man raised an eyebrow and planted his hands on his hips. "Hmm, my mind is telling me there is more to this story. Perhaps the one you love is Chat Noir, but as a normal person, not a superhero."

Chat's face lit up as André's had and he grinned widely at Ladybug. "That would mean the world to me."

"That's a very small chance, André," she tried to pass off, fanning away her blush. "But the thought is appreciated." Ladybug stared at her ice cream. It was the same as when she got it as Marinette - mint green and peach pink. Adrien. Perhaps there _was_ something more to his ice cream than she would believe.

The two superheroes ate their ice cream, smiling at how lovely it tasted. "This truly is the best ice cream in Paris," the spotted girl said, finishing her cone. "Thank you for the treat!"

Chat Noir nodded, ice cream cone still in his puffed cheeks, waving at the man. André guffawed and shook his head. "It's my pleasure to serve you two! Have a wonderful night, my dearies!"

The vendor pushed his cart down the bridge, leaving the superheroes alone. Chat finished the cone and swallowed, tilting his head to her. "So - what do we do now, my lady?"

Ladybug looked up at the Eiffel Tower, nodding her head towards the Trocadéro. "How about a small walk?" She jumped down, waiting for the cat to follow her lead. When he came down, they walked side by side down the Seine, talking about their old adventures and how they first met.

"Remember how you came flying down on me?" Chat laughed, eliciting an embarrassed response from the girl. "I just remember looking up and, boom, there's a face coming right at me!"

"Shut up! That never happened," she flushed. "And besides, you had a much easier tool to use in the beginning. The recoil from the yo-yo is a lot harder to handle."

"Mhm, absolutely, my lady," Chat winked. She steamed in irritation and crossed her arms.

"Ah, please don't be like that, Ladybug. I just wanted to poke a little fun."

"Well, what if I mention how you tried to defeat Stoneheart with Cataclysm but you used it on that soccer goal?"

"... I'm sorry."

She laughed out loud at his acquiescence and he eventually laughed with her. The two looked at each other and giggled. "Well, I'm glad that was how we got acquainted," Ladybug smiled. "You know, I was really doubting my ability to be a superhero and I even tried to slip my miraculous to someone else I thought was more fit for the job."

"Really?!"

"Yeah. But then, in front of the Eiffel Tower, when Chloé fell, you encouraged me. You gave me a lot of hope, and I really appreciate you for that. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be standing here today."

He blushed, scratching the back of his neck. "Ah, well, you were so amazing when I first saw you. It was strange to see you doubt yourself like that because I only saw you as this strong, powerful girl." He laughed nervously. "On the other hand, I totally messed up with that Cataclysm and I even hit the second Stoneheart again, knowing that he would grow. You're a lot smarter than I am, my lady, and I'm not afraid to admit that."

She ruffled his hair and scratched behind his ears. "You're very kind, Chat, even when you get mad at me. You quickly realize that it's better to work together and I like that about you. You don't hold grudges which is something I do a lot."

"Grudges?" He perked his head towards her. "Against who?"

"Uhm… well, I can't tell you because it might give me away," she joked. "Besides, I'm trying to be a better person to them so they can hopefully change as well. I think a previous incident has improved them."

"You're really nice, too, LB. Not many people can do that."

"Yeah, yeah."

They made it to the Trocadéro and jumped on top of the arch. Chat pulled out a rose and handed it to her. "My lady," he bowed.

Without hesitation, to please him, Ladybug took the rose and smiled. "Thank you, Chat. You know, I admire your perseverance even despite knowing that I like someone else. I'm sorry for letting you down all the time since I can't love you back."

He pulled her in for a hug, drawing a small peep of surprise from her. "It's okay, my lady, really. If anything, your friendship is the most valuable thing to me and I'm completely fine with that. I love you, both as a friend and as a person, and I hope you're fine with that."

She hugged him back, digging her head into the crook of his neck. "I… of course, kitty. You're an amazing person as well."

They stood like that for a few more seconds before separating and looking over the skyline again. Chat Noir looked at the time on his baton and looked back at Ladybug. "It's getting late. I have to get back before they check on me. I'll see you tomorrow!" With that, he launched into the air and left, leaving Ladybug by herself on the rooftops. She watched him leave and rested her hand over her heart. Had Adrien not been around, she would have given Chat a chance. There was more she wanted to tell him, more she wanted to get off her chest before he left, but he was just out of reach now. She had to tell him before the week was over or else she would never get to.

For the next four nights, they went to different areas in Paris and explored places like the zoo, amusement park, and even went outside of the town to the French countryside, taking in the fresh air and beautiful galaxy above them. Yet, every night, she would muster all her courage, and there would be Chat Noir's back to her, a black screen like a computer monitor turning off. She didn't make any progress and knew her time was running out.

The next morning, she decided to make something for him. She was much more proficient in communicating through her work rather than in words anyway. She had done it with Adrien's scarf (which he still didn't know was made by her) and so she should be able to do it with Chat's gift. It was easier to talk to Chat, so she could probably get her sentences out unlike with Adrien.

As she went to school, she got to work creating a design for some sort of trinket. As class went on and on, she struggled to find something she was happy with and trashed multiple pages. Chloé, noticing the girl's frustration, decided to take a small minute to tease her.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng, is that anger I smell from you? You better watch out, or you'll get akumatized! But don't worry, Queen Bee is here to protect you, whether you like it or not."

The dark-haired girl rolled her eyes at the blonde's antics. "I'm not angry, Chloé. I'm just tired, and I'm definitely tired of you always trying to get under my skin. Why don't you just become a gold digger already and dig into the Earth's skin?"

"Wha- a gold digger?! As if! Ridiculous! You better watch your mouth, Dupain-Cheng, or else I'll just buy out your bakery with the money I _already_ have!"

"You already know my parents will never accept. And besides, our family is worth more than any sort of money. See you tomorrow, Chloé."

Instead of going home, Marinette went to the Trocadéro, her garden of inspiration, and also the place where she had taken Chat on the first day. She sat on the stairs, watching the activity around the Eiffel Tower, sighing. "Tikki, what am I going to do? I can't think of anything."

The little kwami stuck her head out of Marinette's bag, saying, "Maybe your friends can help you!"

She followed Tikki's tiny arm down the stairs to a small group of three talking in a circle. There was Alya, Nino… and Adrien?!

"A-ah, no, no, no, I couldn't possibly ask–"

"Marinette!"

The girl flinched in surprise and made a small yelp. Alya ran and sat by her friend's side. "Hey, girl, whatcha up to?"

"Oh, um, just working on a design for a friend. I won't be seeing them for a long time so I wanted to make something."

Nino came up and nodded his head. "Cool idea, Marinette. Got any ideas?"

She shook her head. "No, I don't. I've been struggling to think of something. It's like I'm art-blocked."

"Oh, is that why you kept ripping paper out during class?" asked Alya. Marinette nodded and sighed.

"What does your friend like?" Adrien went up to them and looked at Marinette. Her face turned bright red and she tapped her fingers together.

"Well, um, uh–" She couldn't think of anything to hide the fact it was for a superhero and just blurted out their names instead. "L-Ladybug and Chat Noir…?"

The blonde nodded with approval. "Why don't you make something similar to the strong relationship they have? So you and your friend are never apart, you know?"

After hanging out with her friends for a little more, Marinette went home and thought about what Adrien had said. "Strong relationship," she muttered to herself.

Tikki hovered by Marinette's hands and commented, "You know, Adrien's got a really good idea. Why don't you make something for Chat Noir that represents the two of you working together?"

The girl thought about it and then smiled, light bulbs and gears ticking in her head as it all clicked. "You're right. I don't need to know what kind of food Chat Noir likes or even what his favorite color is. I just need to work off what we've created between each other - an unbreakable bond!"

She got to designing right away, ideas flowing in like a river on the rocks, and she worked as if there wasn't enough time for all of her thoughts to be expressed. Her hands moved quickly as she shuffled materials and needles here and there, briskly sewing and altering until she had what she desired.

In front of her was a durable bracelet, made with braided black threads and a single red thread interweaved between strings, holding up a nameplate with the words "Partners, forever" embossed on.

Marinette held it gingerly and brushed her fingers over the threads. She just couldn't believe it was going to be over.


	3. Chapter 3

»»— ❅ —««

_Thank you but it's time for goodbyes  
__I promised myself I wouldn't cry  
__But as the snow continued falling over me  
__I felt my determination leave  
__And like you, here, it slowly disappeared_

»»— ❅ —««

On the last day, Marinette clutched the bracelet at school, fiddling with her fingers. She wasn't ready. She knew the time was coming but couldn't help feel so nervous. It was as if she was presenting something to her class - the analogy made her laugh a little. Despite her internal uneasiness, she felt comfort in herself, knowing that she was probably overreacting.

As she left with Alya, she couldn't help but notice Adrien sitting by Nino, seemingly down and upset. Her kindness taking over, she excused herself and went up to the two males.

"U-um, are you okay?" she stammered out.

Nino looked up at her. "Yeah, he's just ranting to me about something. He's okay."

Adrien weakly smiled at her and she wanted to inquire more but decided to give him space. "Okay. If- if you ever need me, I'm- I'm here. Alright?"

With that, she left, and Alya returned to her side. "What happened?"

Marinette shrugged and shook her head. "I don't know. But Adrien seems really upset. Nino said he'd be okay, though, so I hope he will be."

"I don't know, Nino sometimes can't read the moment, but I'm sure Adrien will be okay." The ombré-haired girl threw her arm around her friend's shoulder. "Don't you worry about a thing."

As the sky turned dark with the approach of a heavy winter, Marinette retreated to her room and looked out the window. The air was blanketed white as snow fluttered down to the screen, building up on the bottom edges of the sill. Tikki looked out with her, her eyes becoming wide with excitement.

"It's snowing! I haven't seen snow in centuries!" The kwami giggled with joy and pressed her face against the glass. "It's so beautiful…" Hearing no response from Marinette, the kwami turned around and found her sulking, one hand holding her ring finger.

"Marinette…?"

"Tikki… you know who he is right?"

"I- yes, I do. But you know I can't tell you who."

The girl looked up at her kwami and asked, in a soft whisper, "What is he like as a civilian?"

The corners of Tikki's mouth slightly lifted and the kwami sat down on the desk. "He's very kind," she started. "The kindest person you'll ever meet second to you." The comment brought out a small laugh from Marinette. "A little sheltered due to his family, but curious and well-meaning. He's also very cute," Tikki giggled.

"Tikki! Wait, but is he really? He can't be as cute as _Adrien_, now."

The kwami winked, whispering, "Oh, but he is. Trust me."

Marinette scoffed, a small smile on her face. "Then a bunch of girls must like him! Why… why does he constantly chase after me?"

"Because you have a quality that no one else does, Marinette. He sees it in you, and he's very loyal, so he doesn't notice anyone else."

"You think Adrien is like that?" The teenager rested her chin on her hand and tapped the desk with her fingers, sighing.

"Well… maybe. I don't know, and even if I did, I couldn't tell you." Tikki rested her small arm on Marinette's chin. "But lighten up. You'll have your chance!"

»»— ❅ —««

"Keep up, kitty. We're taking a trip to another town." Ladybug leaped into the air, her teammate flying alongside her.

"Oh? Where are we going, my lady?"

"Lyon."

Chat Noir almost slipped and let go of his baton. "Lyon? That's a good hour away by car."

"Yes, but we're taking an express trip. Trust me." Ladybug winked and went ahead, leaving the cat in the dust. Chat shrugged and picked up his baton. "I kind of have no choice but to trust you, Ladybug."

They made their way across the countryside, gliding through the light snowfall with gleeful abandon, like birds who understood their freedom. To their left, the call of a train roared, and Ladybug pointed in that direction. "Over there! Get on!"

The two landed on top of a train car, Ladybug laughing as she reeled her yo-yo back in. "The air here is so fresh! I could just sit and relax here for hours. Flying around the countryside is so peaceful and wonderful."

"I think so, too," smiled Chat, sitting down. "We'd better lay low, though. I don't think we bought any tickets."

"Chat, what did I tell you? _Trust me_ on this one. I'm being serious," she winked. "We have a special friend aboard this train."

"Oh?"

"I can't tell you, silly. Just enjoy the ride with me, yeah?"

He smiled at her. "Of course." And with that, they sat down next to each other and rested their heads on each other. The night was beautiful, but both were too tired to appreciate it, and they fell asleep, the train continuing to run down the tracks.

As the train reached its destination, Ladybug awoke and found herself looking at a town splashed with all different types of colors, lighting up the buildings and the trees. She shook Chat awake and pointed. "Look, Chat! We're here!"

The cat wiped his eyes, craning his head to take a look. His eyes went wide and he looked back at her. "That's Lyon?"

"Yes! It's the Festival of Lights! Come on, we have to get off!" She grabbed his arm and jumped off with him, landing in a bush underneath a small bridge. Chat Noir stood up and brushed some leaves off of him, trying to slip in a small joke: "Cats normally land on all fours, but in this case, it seems I've landed on you. Are you okay, my lady?"

Ladybug stood up from the bush and picked a branch out of her hair. "I've been better. Anyways, come on, hurry!"

She dragged him along the tracks to the lit-up city of Lyon, marveling at the various lights scattering off the snow. "Look at that projection!"

The rest of their trip was them hopping around in the dark to watch the illuminated lamps and secretly trying out different snacks and foods, as rumor had it that the food was much better than Paris's. At the end of the night, their faces were gleaming bright, much more than the lights they had seen, and with the help of the friend aboard the train, they teleported back to Paris using the horse miraculous. Chat Noir stepped through the portal and held his hand out to Ladybug, who took it and spun around, the music from the festival still in their minds.

They danced on the Parisian rooftops, twirling and leaping across gaps, faces smiling wide and spirits lifted high. It seemed as if the moment would never end and the music in their heads and hearts wouldn't either, so they kept on dancing.

A church bell nearby struck, sending them out of their trance. They listened to the sonorous note ring out in the streets, striking three times.

"Wow. Three o'clock already…" Chat Noir looked back at Ladybug who silently nodded. "I guess this means we should probably go?"

"Yeah." She clutched his hand with the ring. "Your ring finger will be free now."

"I'll… I'll miss you, my lady."

"Me too, Chat Noir. I'll always remember you."

As he let go of her hand and turned to leave, Ladybug suddenly remembered something and squeaked, "Wait!" She opened her yo-yo and pulled out the bracelet. "Hold on - I have something for you. Hold out your hand."

Chat held out his left hand and Ladybug held the ends of the strings, wrapping the bracelet around his wrist. She tied it three times to make sure it would never fall off and she smiled as she held his arm up. "I made this for my partner."

She knew the moment was highly emotional for both of them, but she wasn't prepared for the tears streaming down his face. "I couldn't believe I was really going to leave, but now I… I just wish I didn't have to go," he sniffled. "Ladybug, I want to stay by your side forever. I don't even have a gift for you."

"It's okay, kitty," she comforted him, hugging him tightly. "It's okay."

»»— ❅ —««

Early in the morning, she waited in a small alleyway, looking up at the still-dark sky. The snow from the night made a layer of powder that she kicked around, digging her feet in. The first snow of the year, her first snow with Chat Noir, and he had to leave. If he stayed, would he still make some goofy cat pun while tossing snowballs at her? Admittedly, she was going to miss his silly jokes and found herself sighing.

Ladybug looked at the red and black that covered her body. Ever since she became this, she learned so much about the world and about herself. She became braver and found a new purpose. If Chat Noir hadn't encouraged her that day, she wouldn't be standing where she was now, about to take his ring off - it would have been someone else.

In a weird way, she was glad she was the one taking his miraculous. She finally understood. This would have happened anyway in another timeline.

"Good morning, my lady." Ladybug looked up and saw the cat perched on a balcony rail, giving her his signature smirk. She laughed and joked, "You're late."

"Fashionably late, of course. I couldn't leave without making sure my hair was fresh from the snowfall."

"Your hair always looks fine. Now get down here."

He jumped down and the two stood in front of each other for the last time. She memorized his features as Chat Noir, whispering, "Ready?" Chat shook his head, interrupting her flow. "I got something for you before we do this," he said. He pulled out a very simple but beautiful gem attached to a chain and strung it around her neck, clasping the necklace. He looked at her and smiled. "It belonged to my mom before she disappeared. She would have loved knowing about someone like you. A wonderful girl saving Paris alongside her son."

Ladybug gasped and held the gem, refusing the gift. "I can't take this, this- this was your mother's!" She tried to get him to take it back and Chat politely shook his head and held his hand up.

"Just take it. At this point, it's better for someone like you to. My mother is gone but you? You're here. You can uphold her legacy. Stay kind, my lady."

Despite her efforts to return the necklace, Chat continued to stop her and Ladybug finally gave in and accepted the gift. Taking in a deep breath, she closed her eyes and held out her hand. She could hear him say "Detransform" and hear Plagg flying out from the ring. A small conversation between Chat and Plagg went on, the two saying their final goodbyes, and then the ring was in her hand. She wrapped her fingers over it and hesitated to leave, deciding to say one last thing. "I know I was strict about not knowing each others' identities, but I hope one day we can be our civilian selves without having to worry." The blood rushed through her nose again and she couldn't believe she was being so emotional again. "I never knew how I felt about you since I knew you loved me, but I know you meant a lot to me, Chat, and if there hadn't been someone else, maybe I would have given you a chance. Thank you for always being at my side."

Her fist was suddenly covered with a warmth and she realized Chat was holding it. "I will always love you, my lady," she heard. "I would give you a kiss right now but I will respect your wishes. I hope the next black cat takes care of you as I would."

Ladybug nodded, signaling her leave. She listened to the snow crunch underneath Chat's footsteps until it faded out. She opened her eyes, looking at the tracks he left behind. If she followed them, she would know who her partner really was. She could just take one tiny peek.

The urge was strong but she followed her common sense and forced herself to yo-yo away. And just like that, he was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

»»— ❅ —««

_Could you take my hand?  
__Look into my eyes, don't you understand?  
__Come here, hold on, and you'll know why  
__I - I won't accept the truth, why I won't say goodbye…_

»»— ❅ —««

A week had passed since Chat disappeared from the public eye. Everyday life was quiet, no akumas released since then. Marinette had returned the Black Cat ring to Master Fu who was currently searching for a new miraculous holder. He had been struggling to find someone who had been as compatible as Chat Noir had, so she thought to herself that the quietness was a _very_, very good thing. She could only imagine the chaos that would happen without her partner by her side.

Marinette slung her bag over her back and walked to school. For once, she had woken up early and was able to get up and go without any obstacles. Being on time felt very nice and she entered with a small hum.

"Hey, Marinette." To her left was her best friend, Alya. The aspiring journalist went up to her and they hugged. "You're on time! I was going to wait a few minutes before going over to your house."

"I got some good sleep in," the dark-haired girl giggled, "and I woke up at the right time!"

"Nice," Alya laughed, her hand on Marinette's shoulder. "So, did you do the English page?"

They sat down on a bench as they waited for school to begin, talking about their homework and all the struggles that had come along with it. Later, Nino arrived and joined their conversation, and the three had a long chat about everyday life before the bell rang.

The trio sat down in their seats, putting down their bags and casually conversing as the teacher, Mrs. Bustier, set up her desk. Marinette, taking a small break from their talk, noticed Adrien was not in class as he normally was and she inquired for his whereabouts.

"Oh, Adrien?" Nino looked over his shoulder gloomily. "Well, he might be late because of the thing he told me yesterday."

"What thing?" she asked.

"You'll see. He's gonna tell the whole class when he comes in."

Both Alya and Marinette had noticed the melancholy look upon Nino's face and they glanced at each other. Something was wrong. Was Adrien okay?

Marinette thought to herself for a moment. Yesterday, Adrien had seemed very down and exhausted. Had something happened to him? Was his father being unreasonable again? Was he going to get taken out of school? Would he be separated from her? That couldn't happen. They needed to have their family first, and adopt three hamsters, and get a nice house by the–

"Marinette!"

Alya's voice snapped her back to reality and she flinched. "Huh? Was I lost in thought?"

"Yeah, I totally lost you," the ombré-haired girl said. "I called you, like, five times."

"Ah, sorry…"

The friend wrapped an arm around Marinette's shoulders, attempting to comfort her before her world fell apart. "He's about to come in, Marinette. Brace yourself for the worst."

The classroom door opened and Adrien walked through, taking a quick glance at Nino before going up to Mrs. Bustier. The student and teacher chatted for a little bit and Marinette bit her lip in nervous anticipation.

"Everyone, I have an announcement," Mrs. Bustier called out, asking for the class's attention. "One of our students will no longer be attending our class and he has something to tell us all before he leaves." With the mention of someone moving out, everyone's eyes locked onto the teacher who nodded to Adrien.

"Hi, guys," crookedly smiled Adrien. Marinette's eyes widened as she watched him stand at the front of the class. No. He couldn't leave. He couldn't…

"I… I'm moving to Tibet. I won't be coming to school here anymore." Adrien looked down at the ground for a little bit. "In a few days, I'll be taking the train to the airport and flying to China. The culture and lifestyle will be different and I'll have to get by myself without you guys - but hey, guess my Chinese lessons come in handy!" He weakly laughed and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I'll really miss everyone here and I want to ask if all of you can come to see me off at the station for the last time."

Marinette froze. Tibet? China? That was across the entire world, basically, to her. He was going to be that far? They would never see each other again. She would never be able to tell him how she felt, how she wanted to be with him before he had to leave her. No… this wasn't how it was supposed to be.

Adrien took his seat as everyone surrounded and talked with him. He was responding to everyone's comments and questions while Marinette sat dumbstruck in her seat, jaw dropped and eyes hinting at tears. Alya, knowing how much this was affecting her best friend, held Mari's face and turned it to face her.

"Marinette… you need to tell him."

She blinked out of her stupor and shook her head vehemently. "B-but, I can't! He's leaving and we'll never see each other again, anyway, so there's no point…"

"You know that's a dumb excuse, Marinette! This is your absolute last chance! How would you feel if you _never_ got to tell him? What if he _would_ have paired up with you? You'd never know and that would haunt you forever. You've got to shoot your shot for the final time."

"I… I don't know if I could. I can barely even talk to him, Alya! And I think I might cry talking to him - that would be embarrassing…"

Alya pinched Marinette's cheeks and leaned in dangerously close, her aura overpowering the Chinese girl's. "You have amazing bursts of confidence, girl. Do you not remember how you got Chloé? How you managed to have a dance with Adrien? How you fenced with him? How you've taken care of our friends when they were down? Your kindness is different, Marinette, by the fact that you're willing to right your mistakes even in your darkest moments. You can extend that kindness to Adrien by letting him know that he's been a great person to you while also confessing to him in one sentence. I know you can do it and I know you know you can since you _have to_. There are no more chances after this, girl."

Alya's lecture stuck with her for the whole day as she watched Adrien in class once everyone settled down. The last time she'd see him… the last time she'd even talk to him. What was she going to do? She was a hopeless, nervous, bad luck charm. So many chances had been ripped from her before, so how was this going to be any different?

Ah, yeah. She'd live in guilt and regret for the rest of her life. That's how it was different.

With thoughts of regrets, she recalled what Master Fu had said to her a couple of weeks ago. He had been alive for that long and was still holding on to some form of regrets, probably some things related to the Guardians and his personal life. She didn't want to be like that for the rest of her life. It would torment her extremely, knowing her, and she tried to utilize the source of her anxiety to build up courage, as contradictory as that sounded.

Tikki flew around Marinette with worry and watched as the girl cut away at fabrics and sewed hems together. It was now very late into the night and she was wide awake, working on a new project. "Marinette?" the kwami squeaked. " What are you making? You should be getting some sleep."

"... A last memory." The dark-haired teen turned the fabric under the sewing machine and returned back to her flow state, not wanting to lose her focus.

"Is that a scarf?" Tikki looked at the accessory, the color a very different dark red compared to the blue she had made for Adrien before. "You're not going to tell him about the original one?"

Marinette finished the project before allowing Tikki's words to sink in. She pulled out the scarf and checked it, her face distracted. "I… can't bring myself to. He thinks his dad made it, Tikki. I can't take that away from him. Better I make him a new one, one that actually shows how I feel, too."

"What are you going to tell him when you give this to him?"

"Well, I hope to tell him how much he means to me. How he changed the way I see the world the moment I took the umbrella from him. I want to tell him that he's not just a friend to me and I wish he could have seen that." Marinette buried her face in the red scarf, gold lettering on the corner with the letter "M" and a heart. "I don't know if I'll be able to say it face-to-face, though. I'm scared I'll mess up and ruin my last chance. My only backup plan right now is to give him a letter."

"I believe in you, Marinette." Tikki hugged the girl's face and smiled at her. "Remember what Alya said? You find strength in the darkest moments. That's why you were chosen as Ladybug. Ladybug and Marinette are the same person - without one, the other wouldn't exist. Your confidence as Ladybug will show up in Marinette just the same. I know you can do it."

"I- I hope so. I don't think I can sleep right now, honestly. My heart is beating much too hard to fall asleep. I think I'll work on that letter."

"Okay. But please, get some rest, okay?"

"I will. I promise."


	5. Chapter 5

»»— ❅ —««

… _Guess you have to go  
__Looking at you, I already know  
_"_Saying how you really felt wasn't always easy for you  
__So would you let go of this hand that's holding mine?"  
__I'm really glad I met you  
__I'll always love you…_

»»— ❅ —««

The morning sunlight shone into her window, lighting up her face. Marinette blinked herself awake and found herself still at the table, her hands over the paper she had been laboring over during the nighttime.

She yawned, stretching her arms and rubbing her face. "Wha… what time is it?"

Her phone buzzed and she looked over at it. The screen flashed 6:55 and a message appeared. Picking up the phone, she opened it and realized it was Alya who had texted her.

"_I'm in front. Open the door?_"

Marinette groggily walked downstairs, opening the bakery to her friend who walked in and hugged her. "You are a mess, girl. I know you stayed up last night. What did you do?"

"I made a gift. I also was in the middle of writing a letter and fell asleep doing it."

"How many hours of sleep did you get?"

"Honestly, I have no idea. I think at least three."

Alya shook her head. "You are so lucky that it's Sunday and we don't have school. Not that you wouldn't be late anyway… Yesterday was just an anomaly."

"Anyway," Marinette segued into a different topic, "what are you doing here so early? Normally you'd come around nine or so. Plus, it's really cold right now."

"Well, I just wanted to chat with you for a bit - see how you were holding up. I know yesterday was a huge shock for all of us, so it must have been extremely hard for you. I didn't know what time you were going to be up, though. I just kind of guessed."

"Thanks, Alya." The Chinese girl smiled weakly, still very tired. "I'm… okay, for what it is. I think putting my mind towards something else really helped. I didn't cry or anything, so that's good. I'm _very_ sleepy, though."

"You have any chores today?"

"Um, I was supposed to help clean the bakery, I think. Then I had a… an order to make?"

"What kind of order?"

"20 raspberry macarons."

Alya shooed Marinette away and slipped off her coat, grabbing a nearby apron on a rack. "Alright, you get some sleep and I'll take care of your chores today."

Marinette shook her head. "No, I can't have you do that! Besides, macarons are very particular to make and–"

"Girl - relax." Alya's hand shot up and blocked her friend's way. "I got this. Cleaning the bakery is no biggie and my mom is a professional chef - I should be fine. Besides, if I need help, I can ask your parents once they're awake."

The dark-haired teen knew that there wasn't going to be any arguing with Alya once she had made up her mind and so Marinette gave up and sighed. "Okay, fine. I'll let you do this. But… never mind. Thank you, Alya. This means a lot to me."

The tan girl smirked and shoved Marinette to the stairs. "Don't worry too much, okay? Just get some rest."

»»— ❅ —««

Rain pattered away at the window and Tikki sat on a ledge, watching the droplets fall. As Marinette slowly awoke, she looked at the kwami, wondering why snow and rain caught her attention so often.

She lifted the covers and stretched, letting Tikki know that she was awake now. The kwami flew over and chirped, "Good afternoon, Marinette. Look! It's raining!"

Marinette smiled at Tikki, appreciating her constant good mood. "Hey, Tikki. It's raining? What time is it?"

"It just became 14 o'clock. You've been asleep for about six hours. Did you have a good rest?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I really needed that. Is Alya still downstairs?"

"Mhm. I think she's about done baking the macarons. I heard your parents helping her for a little bit."

"Okay. I'm gonna go help her finish up since I'm feeling much better now. By the way, Tikki… why do _you_ like rain and snow so much?"

The kwami's excited demeanor temporarily broke, a flash of pain seeping through. "I… well, for the same reasons you miss the weekends. You don't realize how much you miss it until it has already passed. It was cold when I first awoke. However, I was used to the cold and I guess whenever I see something that reminds me of that cold, I remember something from when I was born. But the difference between that cold and the cold of the snow and rain is that the weather is so pretty compared to the emptiness that is space, and it reminds me of why creation is so beautiful."

Tikki hovered in front of Marinette, her eyes softly sparkling. "When I came into being, I learned a lot about the complex being we call life. I learned how to be lonely, how to accidentally destroy, how to love, how to laugh. But love was one of the most important things that had been created. Love is the main reason why the world is so beautiful and I think more people should understand that - just like how I'm trying to teach you why I love rain and snow so much."

"Wow," gasped Marinette. "I didn't realize you were like that." She held up the kwami and asked a question that had been in her thoughts for a long time. "Does love make us see everything beautifully? Is that why I'm so obsessed with Adrien?"

"Well, of course, it does. But I can tell you that you're not in love with him because love makes you see him that way. You love him because he is a beautiful person. It's okay to spread that kind of perspective. Trust me on that."

"I wish I had your understanding of the world," Marinette groaned. "It would really help me sort out my emotions."

"You're still young, Marinette," giggled Tikki. "Don't pretend to act older than you are. Live your life while you can. That's advice from the very first kwami!"

A loud clanking sound downstairs scared the two and Tikki looked at her. "I think Alya needs some help. You should probably go."

Marinette smiled and nodded. "Yeah. I'll be back in a bit. Thanks a lot, Tikki. I've really appreciated your help these past weeks. I don't know how I would have gotten by without you."

"You thank people a lot!"

"Maybe I'm finding love in places other than someone else."

»»— ❅ —««

"Whew! Done!"

Alya swiped the last of the frosting on and wiped her forehead. "Not bad, huh?"

Marinette giggled and gave her friend a thumbs-up. "You did great! I'm sure they'll love these."

"I told you I'd do fine."

"And you proved yourself right. How about a trip to the movies as a treat?"

The girl with glasses pushed them up her face and acted as if she was thinking about it. "I was thinking… the Gardens!" Marinette tilted her head in confusion and asked why the Trocadéro Gardens, noting that it was still raining outside and still chilly.

"Oh, come on, it's not often that we get a heavy downpour like this!" Alya pulled Marinette to the window and gestured up at the sky. "Let's go splash in some puddles, take some photos, dance in the rainfall! You need to give yourself some freedom to let it all out! You've been cooped up in your room for a while, especially for the past couple of weeks - haven't you noticed?"

Wow. Alya was right. Ever since she learned that Chat Noir had to go she had been staying inside more often, tired from the adventures the night before and tired from crying out of her anxiety. She had been getting better but then Adrien announced his leave and she was back to the cloistered room, working all night. Perhaps she needed this. Even Tikki had mentioned something similar to her: "_Live your life while you can._"

"O-okay, I'll get dressed and be right down," Marinette said, eliciting a yelp of excitement from Alya. She ran upstairs and draped her coat over her torso, also grabbing a pair of gloves and a pair of pink rain boots with her logo on them. She slung her bag underneath, motioning for Tikki to get in. Before leaving her room, she threw on a beanie and grabbed the umbrella hanging on her rack, her heart skipping a bit. This was the umbrella that Adrien had given her early in the year. She hadn't used it since then since there was no rain - until now. Was it right for her to take this? It felt almost as if she was intruding on something sacred, at least, to her.

No. If she wanted her world to be better, she'd spread the viewpoint that everything was beautiful, even this umbrella after a bit of use and aging. Tikki was so much wiser than she expected. With that, Marinette gripped the umbrella and skipped down the stairs, noting to herself to do something with the kwagatami when she returned home.

"Alright, I'm ready!" she called out as she closed the door behind her. "Do you have an umbrella?"

Alya shrugged and laughed. "Nope, I don't mind the rain! But I already know you're going to let me borrow yours."

Marinette playfully gasped and held her face. "Are you taking advantage of my kindness? How dare you!"

The other girl scoffed, a large grin on her face. "Never! How dare you accuse me of such wrongdoing! In fact, I'm going to step outside with only my coat on to prove it!"

"Hey, hey, hey, you're going to get wet!" Marinette laughed. "Get over here! You were right, madam. It is only myself who is the fool here."

"Fool yourself once, shame on you."

"That's not how the saying goes!"

They laughed as they walked to the Trocadéro, taking the time to breathe in the crisp air and splash each other in shallow pools of water. The rain pattered off the umbrella, giving them a feeling as comfortable as their own homes. As they stepped down the stairs, they decided to play around a bit, taking pictures of themselves posing in the rain and videos of them dancing in circles, swinging the umbrella round and round. It was as if they were just children again, having fun with abandon, no worries to carry on their shoulders. Marinette's friends were right. This was exactly what she needed.

"Hey, Marinette, stand over here and wave while holding the umbrella!" Alya motioned for her to stand in front of the stairs and kneeled to get a good angle. Marinette moved into place and posed for the camera, smiling wide. Alya took a couple of portrait photos and then turned her phone, clicking the camera some more. She stood up and went through the images, Marinette moving to her side, when she gasped.

"What? What is it?" Mari asked.

"Look there, in the corner!" Alya's finger pointed behind the pillar and revealed a head of blonde hair poking out.

They looked up to that area in front of them and noticed Adrien walking around by himself, no bodyguard or photographer in sight. Curious as to what he was doing out in the rain, Alya went up to him, leaving a stammering and blushing Marinette behind with the umbrella.

"Adrien!" Alya called out. The mentioned boy turned and waved towards the Martiniquan girl. "Adrien, what are you doing out here?"

From behind the pillar at the bottom of the stairs, Marinette listened to their conversation. "Well, I was granted a last look at Paris before we had to leave," he explained. "My father wouldn't let me see my friends since he said that I would see them tomorrow, but I pestered him to at least give me this."

"Well…" Alya trailed off. Oh no. She had thought of an idea and Marinette _knew_ that she was going to be a part of it. "You could join Marinette and me on a stroll around town. We've just been enjoying the rain." _Oh no_.

"Marinette's here? Where is she?"

Ahh, they were calling her! She couldn't do this - she was out here to take a break _because_ of Adrien! What was she going to do?

"Marinette! Come out from behind the stairs!" Alya said. Ack, they spotted her!

Nervously, Marinette shuffled out from behind the pillar, gripping the umbrella so tightly she felt as if her hands were sweating. With a small squeak, she built up the courage to wave at Adrien. He waved back, elated probably because friends were out here with him.

"Hey, I'll call Nino out! He might be taking a nap but if not we can go over to his house and wake him up!" Alya brought her phone up to her ear and waited for her boyfriend to pick up.

In the meantime, Adrien looked at Marinette. "I didn't get to talk to you yesterday, Marinette. I wanted to say some things before I lost the chance to."

"Ah- eh, uh, sure! Go ahead!" Marinette wanted to die inside. Why was she like this?!

"Well, remember how I said you were an everyday Ladybug at the picnic?"

The… picnic? Oh - the picnic! Oh gosh, she had kissed his cheek at the picnic! The memory came flashing back to her and she burned up despite the cold of the air.

"I really did mean it. You do so many kind things and I look up to you in some way. I think you're a wonderful person and more people should be like you."

The compliments flew over her head as her thoughts revolved around the kiss. Did he remember that? What had he thought about it? Did he think the kiss was just a friend-to-friend thing or did he know that she liked him?

"Marinette? Are you okay?"

"Eh?" She snapped back and realized he was talking to her. Not knowing how to respond, she instinctively grabbed his hand, making her flush some more. It was a habit she had picked up with Chat Noir to comfort him and for some reason, she had done it to Adrien. _Kill me now_, she thought.

Adrien laughed and shrugged. "It's okay. I know how hard it is for you to speak your thoughts to me. I never knew if you still hated me or not from that first day but that probably isn't the case, is it? I mean, you helped me watch my mom's movie despite all those people following me! If you were just helping me out of the kindness of your heart, thank you anyway. I still consider you a great friend and I'm glad we could at least get to know each other. If holding my hand is your way of saying how you feel, that's okay."

"I… I don't want you to leave, Adrien!" she blurted. Marinette's free hand covered her mouth once she realized what she said. Adrien looked at her in confusion at the sudden yelp.

"Marinette?"

Her hand slowly came off and she summoned all the strength she could to at least express her thoughts. "Adrien, I - I don't hate you! I think you're a wonderful person, too, and I think you're much more tolerant and kinder than I could ever be! I know I always stammer and stutter when I'm around you, but it's not because I hate you! In fact, it's because- because–"

"Because…?"

"I admire you!" _What was she doing?_ "I want to be like you and because of that you're, like, my role model! Not to mention you're the son and model of my favorite designer and you're handsome- I mean, not that you're handsome, but- I MEAN, NOT THAT YOU'RE NOT HANDSOME, YOU KNOW, AND–"

"Alright, I called him three times and he didn't answer, so we're taking a trip–" Alya noticed the hands connecting the two together and she slyly smirked. "Is something happening here? Was this because my back was turned?"

"She was just trying to let me know that she didn't hate me," Adrien said, saving the day as he normally did. "Marinette, you can let go now."

Disheartened at her failed confession, she released his hand.

_I love you._


	6. Chapter 6

»»— ❅ —««

_Thank you but don't say goodbye now  
__I gotta tell you this all somehow  
__Gathering every single last drop of courage I have  
_"_You know, I-"_

»»— ❅ —««

Once they had gone over to Nino's and dragged the boy out of bed, they all took a trip to the movies, giving in heavily to Alya's decision of an emotional movie that she really enjoyed as a book. They ordered their popcorn and took their seats, Adrien next to Nino, Nino next to Alya (as expected), and Marinette to Alya's left.

A very rude individual sat a seat away from Marinette and began throwing popcorn at the trailer scenes, even angrily banging their hand on the armrests. Marinette, uncomfortable, moved as close as she could to Alya's side, trying not to catch the person's attention. Adrien naturally sensed her discomfort and stood up, apologizing to Nino. He sat in between the person and Marinette, smiling at the blushing girl, pulling on the strings of his hoodie so his face would be hidden. "I'll sit here so they won't bother you. Okay?"

"B-but you really don't need to do that!" Marinette babbled. "It's fine, I can just scoot over if they're bothering me, and if I have to, I-I can ask someone to remove them or something–"

"Marinette," Adrien laughed, "it's okay. It's not a problem for me."

"I– I'm letting you know now that I'm an ugly crier, okay? You don't want to sit next to me, I'll just be really loud and distract from the movie and you won't enjoy it and–"

The model grabbed Marinette's hand and she froze. "It seems I can't tell you that you'll be fine," the blonde said. "So, using the same way you said what you felt about me, I'm insisting that it's alright. I don't mind. Just enjoy the movie, alright? This'll be the last time we can do this together. I'm sorry that we didn't get to do more things like this but I really appreciate what you did for me before. Coming with me to this very theater to watch my mom's movie… it was very kind of you. Let me do this in return."

"Oh… okay. Th-thank you, Adrien…"

Alya jabbed Marinette's side with her elbow, giving the Chinese girl a small fright. The wink and menacing smirk sent shivers down Marinette's spine and she felt cold.

"Are you feeling well, Marinette?" Adrien let go of her hand. "You're freezing."

She didn't respond and Adrien pressed his palm against her forehead. "I'm alright," Marinette said as he inspected her, "really!" He put his hand down and gave her a look. "I'm not sick, I promise…"

"Marinette, I can see the tear streaks left on your face. Is something wrong?"

Huh? Tear streaks? She hadn't cried since Chat had left. Was he mistaking the rain for tears?

Or could he see more than she could?

"Tear streaks?" she questioned. "I haven't cried. I should be asking if _you're_ okay."

He sighed and let himself fall into his seat. "Maybe it is just me. Probably all the stress from moving out and stuff." Adrien then sat up in his chair and turned to her. "I'm being serious, though. I can see a bunch of dried streaks on your face."

Adrien was always more intuitive when it came to his friend's emotions. Marinette knew that sometimes he passed over crucial points due to his introverted nature that mostly pulled himself out of any drama, but he would have sparks of motivation and passion to act on those emotions depending on the situation. This was one of those moments and she wished she could think of an excuse, even a lame one that she would normally make up for a Ladybug emergency.

There was no getting out of this. If anything, this was a perfect moment - especially to make up for that terrible mistake she had made earlier. She had to be honest. She had to be true to herself and to Adrien who she desperately needed to acknowledge her feelings. It was tearing her apart, all this time they lost. She could have said something forever ago but she wasted it all.

"Adrien… you know, I–"

The person suddenly stood up and knocked over their soda all over Adrien, storming away without any form of apology or shame. They left the theater and Alya and Nino went over to the blonde's side.

"Yo, dude, are you okay?" Nino asked, holding the drenched sweater up.

Alya growled and clenched her fist. "What a jerk! I swear, if I see him around–"

"Uhh, I don't think you need to do that, babe."

Marinette shot up from her seat, running out of the row. "I'll grab some towels! Be right back!" Without looking behind her, she ran out of the theater and leaned on her knees, panting heavily and clutching her chest. No, no, no, _no_, _no_! It happened again! It was always going to go wrong and Marinette would be a failure. She would never find the courage to say those three cursed words and the thought made it hard to breathe.

She ran to the girl's bathroom, locking herself in a stall. Her face buried itself into her hands and refused to move. Tikki, quietly opening the bag, peeked out from over the clasp. "Marinette?"

The kwami flew out when the girl gave no response. "Marinette, are you okay?"

"No, I'm not, Tikki!" she exploded. The small creature moved back in complete shock. "I'm not okay! I'm not! Why can't I just be normal? Why is my luck always so bad? Why can't I say anything to him? Why do I always have to stutter and go bleh-blagh-nyeh around him? Why can't I just tell him how I feel?!"

Marinette raised herself and sloppily smacked the stall door in frustrated, lovesick pain. Tikki flew around the arm and didn't say anything. "I've thrown away every shot I've been given! I could have just said something like, 'I'll tell you after the movie,' but _no_! I run away like a dog with its tail between its legs so I can find somewhere else shameful to hide!"

Her body suddenly went limp and she sat back down on the toilet seat, attempting to hide her red face with her hands. "I'm just so angry with myself. I'm tired. I don't know if I should even try anymore." She sniffed and wiped her eyes with her palms. "I'm sorry, Tikki. I shouldn't have lashed out at you like that."

"Marinette…" The kwami sat down on the girl's lap. "Marinette, it's okay. I know it hurts. It's fine if you don't manage to tell him. It's not the end of the world - you'll still be here even when he leaves. You'll be okay. You'll be okay."

The dark-haired girl cleaned up the mess on her face and nodded slightly. "I'll be okay. I hope I'll be."

After washing her face and grabbing an excess of paper towels, Marinette returned to her seat and handed over a few to Nino and Alya. The three of them worked on patting the soda off of Adrien's sweater and giving him their coats so he could hide his face.

Only Alya's coat fit the model, but the downside was that her coat didn't have a large collar, so his face was visible to everyone (thank goodness for the darkness inside). Marinette has a sudden idea and excused herself, running out to quickly grab something from her house.

Tikki watched as Marinette carefully folded the thing on her table. "Are you sure with yourself that this is the right time to give it to him?"

Marinette nodded, trying to clean up the last of the crying fit on her face before she returned with the scarf. "This muffler will hide his face and I can use this moment as a way to give it to him. I probably won't be able to if we have direct facial and eye contact." She weakly giggled.

Running back with the red scarf, she made her way through the row and wrapped the fabric around Adrien's face. It was perfect. The length didn't go past his chest on both ends and the folds scrunched it up thickly so it went over his nose. He pulled it down slightly to give Marinette a smile.

"Thanks, Marinette. This scarf is really comfortable, too."

"Well, I actually made it for you, Adrien…"

He looked at her wide-eyed as he pinched the muffler. "You made this? For me?"

"Yeah."

"H-how long did this take? I only told everyone yesterday that I was leaving so that no one could get me gifts."

"I worked on it… all night." She rubbed her face in embarrassment. "I couldn't do anything else before finishing it."

"You're a great person, Mari. I don't think you understand how lucky I am to get to know you and be your friend."

Lucky?

He thought he was lucky to know her?

It was the other way around. She was the lucky one, this one moment outshining any bad memory. It was pure heaven when he came into her life. Some god had blessed her with someone amazing to love and she held her gift up highly.

"I just do what I do best." Marinette smiled. "There is no real luck. People as star-crossed as I have already melted their wings. All we can do is ground ourselves."

"Star-crossed? I thought someone like you would be the star."

There he went again, complimenting her when she didn't deserve it. "No, I couldn't be. I'm just me. Marinette."

The intro to the movie began and Marinette sat down. Colors flashed over their faces as the screen played and the four of them ate their popcorn enthusiastically, especially Alya and Adrien - Alya because this was one of her favorite books and Adrien because this was his first time watching a movie with friends.

"Have you read this story, Adrien?" Alya asked over Marinette's head. The boy shook his head. "I haven't gotten to this one, but I've heard good things about it. I'm really excited to see it!"

Marinette leaned over to Alya. "What even is this story about?"

"Girl, it is the most heart-wrenching story you will ever read with a bunch of detective stuff and action! There's a kid who suddenly…"

Alya spoke on and on about the plot, rambling when she realized she almost spoiled it. Nino had to hug her to break her out of it so they could watch the movie without disturbing others who had been giving Alya looks. Marinette giggled.

"Sounds exciting, Alya. I'm sure I'll like it." The Chinese girl leaned back into her chair and peeked into her bag, sliding some popcorn for Tikki to eat. She made sure the kwami could see the movie as well so Tikki wouldn't miss out on anything.

The screen faded to black and Marinette heard Alya squeal. Grabbing some popcorn, she threw it into her mouth as the movie changed to show fields of gold. A ladybug flew across the screen as the wheat swayed in the wind.

This was going to be a good movie.

»»— ❅ —««

By the end, both Alya and Marinette were sobbing messes, Alya crying into Nino's shirt and Marinette staring at the screen as the credits rolled.

That was… so incredibly sad. Marinette looked down and let the tears roll down her face. She could feel every emotion: sadness, anger, frustration, yearning, nostalgia, relief… It hit her hard, every second of it. She had gone through every one of those sensations very recently and felt it all build up inside her, coming out as a flow of intense tenderness that exposed every crack upon her.

How exaggeratory of her. Maybe her current emotional state was too strong for her to be rational.

They walked out of the building, the rain still falling heavily above them. The sky showed signs of darkening, hinting at nightfall. The droplets felt refreshing upon Marinette's flushed cheeks and she tilted her head up, embracing the cool feeling of the water.

Alya turned to Adrien through her puffed eyes, smiling despite the mayhem she had cried on her face. "So, how was that for your first movie with friends?"

He smiled. "I really enjoyed it, but I believed I would have seen something exciting, in a fun way, for my first movie. This one was very emotional, even more so since I'm not going to be around you all anymore."

"But this way, you won't forget us!"

"I don't think I could forget any of you at all."

Nino went up to Adrien and gave him a long hug. "I'm gonna miss you a lot, dude. Can you still call while you're there? Or even send letters?"

Adrien reciprocated the hug. "I'll definitely call. You guys were my first real group of friends - everyone in the class was my friend - and I couldn't possibly ignore that even in Tibet."

Alya joined in the hug, wrapping her arms tightly around the two. "Nino's gonna miss you a lot. He cried to me yesterday about it, actually." Nino looked up in betrayal and Adrien laughed. "Hey, don't look at me like that, babe!" She snuggled her boyfriend. "I know you're going to cry when we see him off at the train, anyway!"

Marinette watched from afar as they bickered and laughed with each other. She didn't feel as if she could say anything in the middle of their joking, almost as if she was just a side friend. Of course, Marinette was aware that she wasn't, but her internal social compass was too respectful to interrupt anything even between her own friends. The umbrella hung at her side, dripping onto the concrete with a constant rhythm.

Nino's phone went off and he snuck a glance at it. "Aww, darn," he whispered. "What is it?" Alya said, peeking over his shoulder.

"I've got to go back. I promised my brother to watch an episode of this show he likes with him. He's throwing a tantrum and Mom's getting tired of it."

"Do you want me to come with you to help your mom?"

"Didn't you already help Marinette this morning?"

"Nino, it's fine. I'm going – now, come on."

Alya pulled him aside and waved to Marinette and Adrien, apologizing to them for not being able to escort them home. Nino waved to them as well and they waved back.

"So, are you going home?" Adrien's question was a strike of thunder upon her, making her realize that it was now just her and him now under the safety of the theater's canopy. She shrugged shyly. "I mean, I could…"

"Want me to walk you home?"

Marinette shook her head. "No, I couldn't possibly let you do that! Besides, then you'd have to walk home alone and… well…" She pushed herself to get the words out and she held up the umbrella tightly in her hands. "Don't you want to go home _together_?"

Adrien stared at her arms holding up the umbrella in surprise, looking it up and down. "Are you sure that movie didn't get you all sentimental?"

"Ack, _I know_ you heard me crying! I told you I was an ugly crier! I'm… still feeling it, okay?" She let the umbrella down slightly and hid her face in her coat. Adrien laughed and helped her with the umbrella. "I'm just kidding, Marinette. We should probably get going before one of us catches a cold." He took the black umbrella and opened it, holding above their heads. Hesitantly, Marinette took a few steps forward before allowing Adrien to move first, following him.

As they walked down the sidewalk, Marinette battled herself internally, the sound of clashing thoughts rattling her head. One voice on her right cried out. _You have to! You need to!_

_He'll hate you._ Another on her left was deep and gravelly, almost hypnotizing. _He'll think you're weird. That'll be all he'll think of you from now on if you say anything._

She scrunched her brow together and gritted her teeth. What was she going to do?

_Marinette, love is a beautiful thing. Don't be afraid to share it_.

She gasped and looked at the umbrella. Did it just speak to her? Those were the words Tikki had basically told her when she unhooked it earlier. Adrien turned to her and tilted his head. "Did you say something?"

"Ah, no! I didn't!" Marinette shook her head and smiled awkwardly, causing Adrien to smile as he always did and continue walking.

Then, something washed over her and she felt this urge to stop and grab his arm. Unconsciously, she reached out for his wrist and gripped it loosely, Adrien turning out of surprise and the red muffler whipping in the air.

"Actually, I do have something to say." She felt herself shaking, holding his arm tighter to stabilize herself. "Adrien, I… I don't just admire you as I said at the gardens. There's so much more to it than that. I want to tell you everything but I can't. I just end up getting super nervous and stammer every time I try. I still can't bring myself to say it, but please know that I think of you a lot and you are more than a friend to me. This umbrella you're holding over us? It's the same umbrella you gave me back at the beginning of the school year."

Adrien's eyes widened.

"You're _so_ very important to me and I need you to know that. I'm sorry if my stammering and nervousness got in the way of us getting closer or having more meaningful conversations, but I wanted you to know that." She sighed and let go of his arm. "I'm going to miss you a lot."

Out of nowhere, like a fire set atop a pile of dry leaves, she was covered in warmth and opened her eyes. Adrien, _Adrien_, was right in front of her, wrapping his arms around her. There they stood, two kids, seeing nothing but the other in the rainfall, taking comfort in their shared heat.

"I'm really glad you said all of that, Marinette," he said, speaking softly over her shoulder. "I don't know why, but I feel like I really needed that. Thank you."

Her arms slowly came up and drew themselves over his torso, her cheek resting upon his. "Me too." She relaxed in his embrace and took a deep breath in. "Me too…"

Just as her love had formed in the rain, the downfall washed it away again and a weight came off her shoulders. Friends. That's all they ever needed to be.

When the first love ends, another for something else will always begin.


	7. Chapter 7 - Final

»»— ❅ —««

_Our lips colliding, the seconds slowing, this distance shrinking down to nothing_  
_And if I cried now, would you kiss the tears away?_  
_Since there's nothing really left to say_  
_Just hold me tight and never let me go_

»»— ❅ —««

The class stood and waited patiently in the station, wiping the snow off their shoulders. The air had turned colder and the rain morphed into light snow, reminding Marinette of the Festival of Lights. Heh. These days were so similar. Both Chat Noir and Adrien were leaving during beautiful snowy mornings. A sigh escaped her involuntarily.

Instead of love, she felt a heartfelt warmth bloom in her chest for the boy who had changed her life. She was okay with being just a friend as long as they continued to talk. The love that had resided before taught her so much about herself, her friends, and her life, but now it was time to let go. Like a bird setting up its flight, she took in a deep breath, feeling the cold air fill her lungs, and let it out so her love could freely live among the sky.

Everyone crowded around Adrien as the train entered audible distance. A flurry of hugs and waves surrounded him and the blonde tried his best to respond to everyone. Alya left Marinette's side and also went to hug Adrien goodbye. She watched as the ombré-haired girl turned around and gestured for Marinette to come over. Shyly shaking her head, she refused and stood in place, throwing her hands in her coat pockets. Marinette looked at her red muffler around Adrien's neck. He looked warm and comfortable in it. She smiled to herself and dug her face in her own pink scarf.

Adrien took notice of her and went up to the dark-haired girl, smiling brightly as he always did. "Mari, I just wanted to say thank you for yesterday. I don't think I'll meet anyone as quick-witted and as smart as you ever again. Your optimism is something I wish to have and..."

His voice trailed off in Marinette's head as he grabbed her hands. So warm and inviting. Had he always felt this comfortable? The curves of his palm fit snugly around her own and she felt herself flush. She couldn't be falling in love with him all over again. Not when she had just made peace with herself.

Something slid onto her wrist and she looked down. Adrien, under the long-sleeved shirt he was wearing, had a bracelet on his left hand. Black and red, a nameplate underneath...

Her bracelet to Chat Noir.

Wait a minute. How could he have this bracelet? There was only one in the world like it and Marinette had given it to Chat as a remembrance of their partnership. Her heart skipped a beat as she began to panic, thoughts swirling around in her head. She snuck a glance at his right hand. There, on his finger, was no silver ring. He had always worn that ring. When did he take it off?

Out of confusion, Marinette began to tear up thinking of her partner and Adrien stopped talking, eyes widening when he saw the drops roll down her face. "I'm sorry, Marinette. Please don't cry. Everything will be okay. I'm sure we can see each other again."

The train pulled in and came to a complete stop. Adrien sighed. "That's my cue to leave. I promise to keep in contact, okay?" He let go of her hands and turned to walk through the sliding doors, leaving Marinette in the snow.

No. Alya was right. It was going to be painful if she never had a chance to say it. It was going to hurt forever if she never knew what Adrien would have said. With a fear that he was going to leave forever, Marinette stretched out her hand and cried, "Wait...!"

The cold had frozen the rain from yesterday and ice was prominent in the station. Everyone took it seriously to look out for ice and go around it if possible. In the heat of the moment, Marinette didn't notice the thin veneer underneath her and slipped, falling slowly as time froze around her.

The next few moments went by too quickly for her to register what had happened. In the span of two seconds, she grabbed the red scarf in front of her and pulled Adrien in. He tried to catch her and held out his arms but as she fell into his grip, the necklace around her neck ripped off and her face wavered dangerously close to his and she closed her eyes.

The station turned quiet as she scrunched her eyes closed. What happened? Why was everything so silent? She opened her eyes slowly, realizing that her lips were interlocked with someone else's.

She kissed him.

It was a moment she had never expected. Marinette and Adrien, arms around each other, were in an embrace to intimate for her to have even imagined. Panicking, she separated herself from him and felt her neck. The kwagatama. It had come off when Adrien tried to catch her. Unable to make eye contact with him, she scoured the floor for the necklace.

Someone tapped her shoulder and she turned around. There he was again, like a nightmare that wouldn't leave her head. His hand was up and she looked in his palm. The small, red kwagatama that Tikki had given her now had a gem inside the center where empty space used to be. The crystal on the necklace Chat had given her had been added to her own. Unable to move, she simply stared at it wide-eyed.

The corners of Adrien's mouth lifted ever so slightly and he reached around her, tying the necklace back on. "I wasn't sure I'd ever see you again, let alone find out who you really were."

Huh? Was he talking to her? Where did this come from? As she tried to work out her confusion, Adrien stepped into the train and waved to Marinette, giving her the softest look she had ever seen. His voice lowered to a whisper and she had to look right at him to understand what he said. "I'm glad I was able to kiss you one last time, Ladybug."

The doors closed and the train began to move again. The snow at the edge of the platform kicked up and sprinkled over her as she stood in astonishment. He knew who Ladybug was.

The ring. The bracelet. The kiss. It all fell into place and she dropped onto her knees, crying her lungs out as she wrapped her arms around herself. Everyone ran up to her, attempting to comfort her by saying, "It's okay you didn't tell him how you felt," assuming that she was crying because of that.

It was deeper than that. Her partner, her love - the extent of her situation was now absolutely clear to her and she sobbed wildly into her friends' arms. She lost him and was never going to see him in person ever again and that was the most painful part of all.

She sniffled softly even as she went to bed and Tikki sat nearby, cradling the girl's head as she fell asleep.

»»— ❅ —««

In the morning, Marinette awoke with a clear mind, rubbing the dried tears away. The clarity of the cold morning allowed her to accept that both superheroes had lost something yesterday and she got up to get ready for school. The red kwami asked if she was feeling well and Marinette nodded. "I'm okay."

As the dark-haired girl walked into class, Alya ran down the steps and wrapped her arms around her best friend. Marinette returned the embrace and relaxed in her hold. "I miss him too, girl," Alya said. "I miss him too."

As she walked up to her seat, Marinette looked at the seat where Adrien sat and softly smiled, recalling his own smile when the doors closed. She took a seat, peering into her bag and giving a small look to Tikki.

»»— ❅ —««

_Around this time next year, I wonder where we'll be?_  
_Even if you don't remember me,_  
_I hope you'll always be smiling and happy_

»»— ❅ —««


	8. Check out the sequel, Amnesia!

**Hello, everyone! There is a sequel to this story that I've just published the first chapter to: ****_Amnesia_****! Go check it out!**

**Here is a preview...**

* * *

The now-18-year-old male walked alongside the small waterfall that poured into the koi pond, watching the water foam as it crashed into itself. He knelt down, running his hand through the pool and watched as the ripples spread across the surface, breaking when they hit protrusions in the water.

Adrien Agreste was now a young adult. He was supposed to feel more mature, more independent now, but, instead, he felt as if nothing had changed. Well, to be more specific, he felt he hadn't changed but the world was now starting to openly show its true colors as soon as he became of age. His father had dumped a large responsibility on him, saying he would inherit the family wealth soon and that he had to keep his image clean which wouldn't be easy compared to his school days in France.

France. How he missed it. The atmosphere, the places, the people, the friends...

His friends. The thought made him draw out a large sigh. He missed everyone so much. Nino, Alya, and even Chloé. They were able to call once in a while, Chloé a lot more than once in a while, but it wasn't the same. He missed being by their sides, able to hug them when he could, able to talk to them when he could... but most people of all, he missed her.

Ladybug. Or Marinette. It didn't matter to him - they were the same person. As soon as he had gone on the train, he felt his heart twist in such a painful way that he had to sit down once it began moving. He wasn't going to see her again. As he left France, he felt his head turn and turn in disappointment and frustration.

It was so obvious. Those sky blue eyes that pierced into him, that raven hair that swished behind her, the creative mind that saved Paris and the classroom... how had he not noticed before? No wonder he would find himself staring at Marinette's eyes. She was Ladybug, and Ladybug was her. No wonder she thought she wasn't enough, both as Ladybug and as Marinette. She had the whole world on her shoulders and still was humble enough to imagine herself an imposter, someone who she wasn't.

He recalled Ladybug saying she was in love with someone else. Marinette was always so hesitant to approach him as Adrien, yet was able to talk to the others with the smooth flow of honey. Alya had confirmed to him over a call that, yes, he was the one she had loved all that time. His blind loyalty for Marinette's superhero side caused him to glance over the civilian her who idolized his civilian form. How ironic – he practically felt the absurdity ooze from his heart.

It was painful, being separated from everyone and separated from Marinette. Sometimes, when he woke up, he would believe he was still in France, Plagg stinking up the room with camembert, trying to get a few more minutes of sleep before his alarm rang for school. But, of course, there was no Plagg and there was no France, and he would wake up in a room that mocked him with its temporary unfamiliarity, laughing at his confusion and pain. Being the passive person he was, in public he never showed it, but inside he hated it. He wished his fleeting dreams of France would stay tangible, stay palpable, within his reach and within his sight.

He hated Tibet. And what a strong word "hate" was, because he didn't actually hate Tibet. He just hated that this was his cell, his prison that separated him from what he considered the "outside world" or Home: his friends.

Tibet was a beautiful place. The hills that roamed over the horizon, the ancient ruins that towered over him with their historic influence... it didn't deserve his pain. He wanted to separate the place from his misery but he couldn't help it. As long as he was here, he would continue to associate Tibet with his eventual breaking down.

Today, his father was taking him to a popular restaurant to celebrate his birthday. It would be the first time in a few years that his father would be in public ever since the Style Queen incident. His father was doing it for him and despite it all, he appreciated his father doing so. Gabriel Agreste was still just as busy, if not more, here in Tibet. Here and there, they would eat meals together or drive to meetings, but otherwise, Adrien's life was just as isolated as in France. He was making sure to do as much with his father as he could today before the day ended.

His phone rang and he held it out to see who it was. Alya's face appeared on his screen, two phone icons underneath her picture. She was calling him! With excitement, he picked up and brought his phone up to his ear.

"_Hey! Happy birthday, Adrien! How does it feel to be 18?_"

"Thanks, Alya. Honestly, I don't feel any different. It's cool to be an adult, though."

"_Yeah! Now you can come visit us without permission if you really want to. Although, you probably have to be independent and get your own place first so your dad can't say anything, right?_"

"Yup. But that's okay. I plan on doing so!"

"_Awesome!_" She laughed and he could hear the phone being fumbled around with. "_I'm passing the phone to Nino, now._"

"_...Adrien! How ya doin, bro?_"

"Nino!" Adrien smiled at hearing the voice of his best friend. "I'm doing okay, how about you?"

"_I'm great, dude! Happy birthday, man. Can you believe it's been a few years that we've known each other now?_"

"No! It still feels like a dream that I was able to go to school and meet you guys."

"_Man! Time flies. Anyways, I bought something for you! It hasn't been delivered to your door yet, from what I saw on the website, but it's in Tibet. I hope you like it! There's also something from Alya and Marinette in there, too._"

"Really? Thank you, Nino! You're the best. Also, Marinette? Is she there?"

"_No. We're gonna meet up with her later to help with her Jagged Stone posters. If she's not too busy, we'll call you back._"

"Ah. Okay. Well, thank you for the gifts, Nino! Tell the others I said so as well."

"_Of course, dude. Talk to you again soon, aight?_"

"For sure. Talk to you later, man."


End file.
